Ceiling board jack



A. C. ALDRICH CEILING BOARD JACK Filed May 5, 1962 Aug. 4, 1964 A/van C. Aldrich 1N VEN TOR.

United States Patent 'ce 3,143,219 CElLlNG BOARD JACK Alvan C. Aldrich, 4704 Clifton Ave, Lorain, ()hio Filed May 3, 1962, Ser. No. 192,253 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in ceiling board jacks and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means whereby such material may be expeditiously and expertly applied with a minimum of physical efiort by a single workman.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a jack of the aforementional character which is readily adjustable to handle ceiling boards or sheets of different dimensions or sizes and to meet various conditions.

Still another important object of the invention is to pro vide an improved ceiling board jack of the character described which may be quickly folded or collapsed to facilitate transporting from job to job and for compact storage when not in use.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a foldable, readily portable ceiling board jack of the character set forth which is comparatively simple in construc tion, strong, durable and safe, of light weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View showing a ceiling board jack constructed in accordance with the present invention in use;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal section and on an enlarged scale through the inner end portion of the device, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the outer end portion of the jack.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a tubular telescopically adjustable shaft or bar 4 of suitable metal or other material, which shaft or bar may also be of any desired length and diameter. The tubular shaft 4 includes telescopic male and female sections 5 and 6, respectively. The sections 5 and 6 are secured in adjusted position through the medium of a setscrew 7 which, in the embodiment shown, is threadedly mounted in a nut 8 aifixed to the section 6 in alignment with an opening 9 through which said setscrew is engageable with the section 5. This is shown to advantage in FIGURE 2 of the drawing.

The section 5 of the telescopic shaft or bar 4 terminates in a beveled outer end 10 on which a hanger 11 is afiixed as by welding. The hanger 11, it will be noted, extends at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the shaft 4. The free end portion of the hanger 11 is provided with an opening 12 for the reception of a nail 13 which projects from a wall plate 14 for mounting the jack on said plate at the desired location. The construction and arrangement is such as to permit vertical swinging movement of the shaft 4.

Fixed transversely as by welding on the other or outer end portion of the shaft 4 is an angle bar 15 of suitable dimensions. The angle bar 15 is adapted to receive therein and stabilize on the shaft 4 a section or sheet of ceiling board to be applied, as indicated at 16. The angle bar 15 is mounted transversely on the female section 6 of the shaft 4.

3,143,219 Fatented Aug. 4, 1964 Also mounted on the outer end portion of the shaft or bar 4 is a leg or post 17 which is also preferably of suitable metal. The leg 17 includes male and female sections 18 and 19, respectively, which are secured in telescopically adjusted position through the medium of a setscrew 20 which is substantially similar to the setscrew 7. Mounted on the lower end of the leg 17 is a rubber cup or boot 21 for contact with the floor or other supporting surface, as indicated at 22.

Afiixed to the other end portion of the leg 17 is a pair of diagonally extending arms 23. The free end portions of the arms 23 straddle the outer end portion of the female section 6 of the shaft 4 and are secured thereto by a pivot 24. It will be noted that the pivot 24 is spaced inwardly from the free or outer end of the section 6.

It is thought that the use of the jack will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the nail 13 is driven at the desired location into the upper plate 14 of the wall structure, which plate carries the ceiling joists to which the material is to be applied. Of course, the shaft or bar 4 is telescopically adjusted to the correct length. The hanger 11 is then slipped on the nail 13 which is received by the opening 12, thus mounting one end of the device on the plate 14. With the other end of the device resting on the floor 22 the shaft or bar 4 extends at an inclination. The rectangular board or sheet 16 is then placed on the shaft or bar 4 and rests on the bar 15 by which it is laterally stabilized. When the device is thus installed the leg 17 rests on the floor beneath the board as shown. The bar 4 with the board 16 mounted thereon is then swung upwardly in an obvious manner for engaging the board 16 beneath the ceiling joists to which said board is to be secured. As the shaft or bar 4 is thus swung upwardly the leg 17 swings in the manner of a pendulum to an operative, substantially vertical position where it may be gripped by the mechanic and utilized for supporting the bar or shaft 4 with the workpiece thereon in raised position. In fact, the leg 17 may, if desired, be utilized from the outset for swinging the shaft or bar 4 upwardly. The length of the leg 17 may be preadjusted or the desired adjustment may be easily made after the board has been hoisted. This may be accomplished simply by holding the section 19 in one hand while loosening and tightening the setscrew 20 with the other hand. In the embodiment illustrated, the pivoted end of the female section 19 of the leg 17 is formed to provide a concave seat 25 which receives the section 6 of the shaft or bar 4. The construction and arrangement of parts is such that the weight of the load is transmitted directly to the leg 17 rather than through the pivot pin 24. With the member 6 engaged in the concave seat 25 lateral stability of the assembly is also increased. The nail 13 is preferably mounted on the plate 14 at a point midway between the two joists to which the longitudinal marginal portions of the board 16 are to be secured. Thus, when the board is positioned on the jack it will be substantially balanced and supported by the shaft or bar 4 along its longitudinal central portions. It is to be noted that the leg 17 is preferably shorter than the shaft or bar 4. With the hanger 11 canted on the nail 13 in the manner shown in full lines in FIGURE 2 of the drawing accidental disengagement of said hanger from said nail is positively prevented. However, when the device is swung downwardly to dispose the hanger 11 in a Vertical position or at right angles to the nail, said hanger may be readily slipped off said nail in an obvious manner. In a simplified version of the invention the member 4 may be the form of a single metallic rod. This also applies to the leg 17. However, for obvious reasons the members 4 and 17 are preferably telescopically adjustable, as shown.

When installing ceiling boards end-to-end, the nail 13 may be driven upwardly into a ceiling joist immediately a adjacent one end of an applied board and bent to provide a hook to be engaged in the opening 12 in the hanger 11 for maintaining one end of the device on said joist. The procedure is then substantially as previously described.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily .occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A ceiling board jack comprising a rod, means for pivotally connecting one. end of the rod to the upper portion of a wall structure beneath joists resting thereon, said rod for receiving thereon a ceiling board and being swingable upwardly for elevating said board and supporting same closely beneath the joists for application thereto, a supporting leg, and a pair of arms on one end of said leg straddling the other end portion of the rod, and pivotally secured thereto for hingedly suspending said legtherefrom, said one end of the leg being engageable beneath the rod for supporting same in raised position with the board thereon, said rod being of circular cross section, said one end of the leg having a substantially concave seat therein for receiving said rod.

2. A ceiling board jack comprising a rod, means for pivotally connecting one end of the rod to the upper portion of a wall structure beneath joists resting thereon, said rod for receiving thereon a ceiling board and being swingable upwardly for elevating said board and supporting same closely beneath the joists for application thereto, a supporting leg, and a pair of arms on one end of said leg straddling the other end portion of the rod, and pivotally secured thereto for hingedly suspending said leg therefrom, said one end of the leg being engageable beneath the rod for supporting same in raised position with the board thereon, said one end of said rod being beveled,

said means comprising a hanger including an elongated plate afiixed to the beveled rod end and extending diagonally from the rod and having a hole therein for the reception of a nail on the wall structure.

3. A celing board jack comprising a rod, means for pivotally connecting one end of the rod to the upper portion of a wall structure beneath joists resting thereon, said rod for receiving thereon a ceiling board and being swingable upwardly for elevating said board and supporting same closely beneath the joists for application thereto, a supporting leg, and a pair of arms on one end ofsaid leg straddling the other end portion of the rod, and pivotally secured thereto for hingedly suspending said leg therefrom, said one end of the leg being engageable beneath the rod for supporting same in raised position with the board thereon, said rod being of a predetermined shape, and said one end of the leg' having a recessed seat therein for receiving said rod.

4. A ceiling board jack comprising a rod, one end of said rod being beveled, an elongated plate afiixed to the beveled rod end and extending diagonally from the rod and having an enlarged hole therein for pivotally receiving a nail projecting outwardly from a structure below a series of ceiling joists, said rod for receiving thereon a ceiling board and being swingable upwardly for elevating said board and supporting same closely beneath the joists for application thereto, a supporting leg, and means on one end of said leg pivotally securing said leg to the other end portion of the rod, said one end of the leg being engageable beneath the rod for supporting same in raised position with the board thereon.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said rod is of a predetermined shape, and said one end of the leg includes a recessed seat therein for receiving said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CEILING BOARD JACK COMPRISING A ROD, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING ONE END OF THE ROD TO THE UPPER PORTION OF A WALL STRUCTURE BENEATH JOISTS RESTING THEREON, SAID ROD FOR RECEIVING THEREON A CEILING BOARD AND BEING SWINGABLE UPWARDLY FOR ELEVATING SAID BOARD AND SUPPORTING SAME CLOSELY BENEATH THE JOISTS FOR APPLICATION THERETO, A SUPPORTING LEG, AND A PAIR OF ARMS ON ONE END OF SAID LEG STRADDLING THE OTHER END PORTION OF THE ROD, AND PIVOTALLY SECURED THERETO FOR HINGEDLY SUSPENDING SAID LEG THEREFROM, SAID ONE END OF THE LEG BEING ENGAGEABLE BENEATH THE ROD FOR SUPPORTING SAME IN RAISED POSITION WITH THE BOARD THEREON, SAID ROD BEING OF CIRCULAR CROSS SECTION, SAID ONE END OF THE LEG HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONCAVE SEAT THEREIN FOR RECEIVING SAID ROD. 